Northern Viet Nam Experience
Northern Exposure

Day 1: HA NOI
Arriving at Noi Bai airport. Transfer to hotel. Visit Hanoi "The city situated on the side of Red river." Walk in the residential district where was the Presidential Palace, the house and the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, the One-Pillar pagoda. Next, we will visit the museum of ethnology, Quan Thanh temple and Tran Quoc pagoda established by the West lake, the temple of literature (the first university of Vietnam in the 11th century) and Ngoc Son temple. In the late afternoon, we go by cyclo in the old quarter. Have lunch and dinner in city. In the evening: water puppet show. Night at hotel.

Day 2: HA NOI - CHO RA - BA BE
Departure for Ba Be, passing through the mountainous region of Tonkin. There are superb landscapes with the rice fields in terrace, the paddle wheels in bamboo on the two sides of the river. Have lunch on road. Upon arrival at Cho Ra, take a boat on Nang river that slips in a cultivated country before penetrating in a landscape of chalky cliffs whose flank are characterised by small wild gardens, where hang the lianas and its long roots in quest of earth. Sometimes, the jungle, the purple canes, the silver spindly marbled trunks and the old trees bending their twist above the river swallow some earthy mounds. In the other view, it is the spectacle of fishing. The lobster pots stake out the course of river, some men throw the sparrow hawk, and others hit the rocky banks to dislodge some of lower-case shrimps. Then we enter into the Puong Cave. The river flows, making up a wonderful site where you can enjoy the stalactites on foot of this pothole. We continue going by boat to Pac Ngoi- a village of Tay ethnic situated no far from the lake on the flank of hills. The Tay lives on fishing, rice and corn cultivation. Their stilt houses with the thatched roofs disperse in the austere surrounding landscapes. Have dinner and overnight at the inhabitant.

Day 3: BA BE - CAO BANG
We take a boat in the fairy decor of Ba Be lake; "the lake of three seas" that stretches on 9 km long and from 100 to 1800 m large, at altitude of 145 m. It is located at the outlet of 3 valleys that join together in bow of circle. Ba Be is not only a site for the imaginative, but also for the nature lovers. About over forty pieces of mammal live there, as well as hundred pieces of bird and butterflies. You can visit Dau Dang cascade, a village of the Dao ethnic. Then, we leave for Cao Bang, a small city at the extremity northwest of the country. Arrive and dinner in city. Night at hotel

Day 4: CAO BANG - LANG SON
The run is characterised by its beauty. It is a continuation and combination of the mountains, the hills and the thick forests. This road is famous for its name RC4 - Colonial Road number 4 which implies the several fighting between French and Vietminh in the 1950s at the time of the frontier battle. After lunch in That Khe, we continue on the same road that lead up to the valley and runs along Ky Cung clinching, which is the continuation of the Canton river. You will see the beautiful perspective on the river and the surrounding rocky peaks. Dinner and overnight in Lang Son

Day 5: LANG SON - HA LONG
Lang Son, a small dynamic city that was went trough a disaster in 1979; it woke up in the beginning of the year 90 with the reopening policies of trade between China and Viet Nam. In the early morning, we visit Dong Kinh central market, Tam Thanh grotto. Then, depart for Halong. The road is very nice with the beautiful mountainous landscapes and the coasts of Tonkin gulf. On arrival in Halong, check in Tuan Chau bungalow. Tuan Chau island has a surface of 3 square km and populated by 1200 fishers. At an ideal location, the hotel is composed of three villas that were constructed during the year of 1960s to receive Ho Chi Minh. Today, the High Dignitary Families of the Communist Party often come again to spend their weekends and vacation there. The hotel has a very beautiful view on the bay. It is really a privileged place that doesn't normally available for tourists, my personal relations with the Director Board of hotel, will enable you to enjoy it. In the afternoon, take a walk to a fishing village. Have lunch and dinner with seafood. Night in the bungalow.

Day 6: HA LONG
If Hanoi was Thang Long, "Ascending Dragon", the Halong bay, "Descending Dragon". This name is originated from a legend explaining the present of its rocky peaks that are the remains from a fierce battle of a great dragon. The fantastic peaks cutting the horizon in bluish teeth or sunken mountains which emerge only their summits, caves and grottoes where the streams disappear, game of mists and clouds. The most typical is that these peaks with the strange shapes seem floating on the surface of water and here the silence of this spreads sea dominates everywhere, sometimes broken by the scream of a sea bird. Take a private boat, and cruise all day on the bay. Have lunch and dinner with fresh seafood. Night on board.

Day 7: HA LONG- HAI PHONG - HA NOI
We continue to cruise on the bay for a half- day. Lunch on board. Debarking at noon then we go to Hai Phong, the city with Fench colonial style is very famous for its streets and avenues edged by flaming. Visit Du Hang pagoda, Hang Kenh Communal House. Return to Ha Noi. Night at hotel

Day 8: HA NOI - HOA LU -TAM COC - BICH DONG - HA NOI
Departure for Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam in the 10th century. Visit the commemorative temple dedicated to Dinh and Le kings. Have lunch at Tam Coc. An excursion by boat on Ngo Dong river that snakes between karstic hills and rice fields in a marvelous landscape often called "Ha Long on land". Visiting Bich Dong pagoda which is situated on the flank of hills. Return to Ha Noi. Dinner and night at hotel.

Day 9: HA NOI - PERFUME PAGODA - HOA BINH
Departure for the Perfume pagoda, one of the most beautiful sites of Vietnam. The pagodas and temples are perched on the flank of chalky mountain whose architecture integrates perfectly with a very lush nature. Take a sampan which drive you on the Yen river to the root of the Perfume mountain, but according to the rules of pilgrimage, a stopover should be made at the Trinh temple to ask the Genius -guardian permission to pursue our journey. Then you will need a 3 hours round-trip to climb up to the Huong Tich pagoda, an immense cave where stalactites and stalagmites form candelabra and altars. Have lunch there. We leave for Hoa Binh, crossing the superb landscapes of mountain filled with tea trees. Dinner and night at stilt- house.

Day 10: HOA BINH - MAI CHAU
Departure for Mai Chau valley, a short stop at the Muong village in Cho Bo. We leave the flat country for the mountainous region. The first rice fields in terraces appear, bordered by the groves of banana. The country is sprinkled by thatched cottages, among which the houses of Muong recognise themselves with their roofs on low stilts. Then we arrive in Mai Chau valley at noon. Visit two villages Van and Lac. The skilled fingers of the White Thai women mastering all kinds of textures which are based on combinations of lozenges or variations on wild silks. Dinner and night at the inhabitant. In the evening: a show of traditional dances with folk music.

Day 11: MAI CHAU - SON LA- DIEN BIEN
Departure to Dien Bien. Stop in Son La for lunch. Then, set off to the West enjoying the superb landscapes of the Tay Bac mountains, the green valleys of rice fields and the villages of the Thai black minority. Indeed, the women and the little girls Thai working in the rice field or on the way to at the school- wear their traditional clothes. Have diner and overnight at a local hotel.

Day 12 DIEN BIEN- HA NOI
Dien Bien Phu, the symbol of the French defeat in Indochina, is also a very beautiful valley. Visit the former field of battle, hills, museum and the PC of De Castrie General . Have lunch in city. Transfer to Dien Bien airport for a short flight to Hanoi. Have diner and overnight in Hanoi.

Day 13: HA NOI- FLIGHT OF RETURN
Free at leisure until transfer to Noi Bai airport for onward flight. And of trip.

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Northern Viet Nam Experience / Northern Exposure